Chapter 5

Ryan spoke up beside me, sounding guilty. "Wendy, don't get the wrong idea.

"We didn't tell you because you're afraid of the water. We weren't trying to leave you out.

"We'll all be at Eastbridge University this fall anyway. Over winter break, I'll take you anywhere you want. It can be just the two of us, without Claire."

I looked up at him.

His eyes were bright, as though he truly believed in the future he was describing.

The words I had been holding back rose to my lips. "Ryan, I'm not going to..."

"Ryan, have you seen our photo booth pictures? You didn't leave them with the security guard when you showed them to him, did you?"

Claire's alarmed voice cut me off.

Before I could take the photo strip out of my bag, she grabbed Ryan and hurried away with him.

A few minutes later, Ryan texted me.

Ryan: [Claire dragged me into the photo booth while we were waiting for you. I'll take some with you later, just the two of us.]

Ryan: [It's getting late, so I called you a ride. Here's the license plate number. Let me know when you get in.]

After a long hesitation, I gave the photo strip to Jack and asked him to pass it on to Ryan.

Then I blocked Ryan.

On the ride home, I booked a flight for my trip to Mount Aurora.

During our freshman year of high school, Ryan and I had made a promise. If we got into our dream schools, we would spend the entire summer completing the Five Peaks Challenge.

He had forgotten. I hadn't.

He had broken our promise, but I could still keep it on my own.

I thought I could walk away without looking back.

But as I packed, I caught sight of the rabbit charm hanging from my suitcase, the one Ryan had given me in first grade. The tears would not stop falling.

That summer, our families had gone to the beach together.

Ryan ran after a wave and was swept into the ocean while none of the adults were nearby.

I went in after him and nearly drowned saving him.

I spent three days in critical condition before I finally pulled through. The near-drowning had left lasting damage, and the doctors said I would develop a little more slowly than other children.

Back then, Ryan and I did not understand what "more slowly" meant.

We thought it only meant I would walk more slowly.

Ryan took my hand and said, "Don't be scared, Wendy. You can take your time. I'll wait for you."

To his credit, he kept that promise for years, from first grade until the first day of high school.

That day, I arrived before him for the first time.

Ryan showed up five minutes late, with Claire riding behind him on his bike.

He explained that he had seen her after she missed the bus. Since they were headed to the same school, he had offered her a ride.

After that, he never waited for me again.

I became the one constantly trying to catch up with him.

Ryan had once nearly drowned, yet he still loved the ocean.

So despite my fear, I forced myself to learn how to swim.

But the day I nearly drowned, he left with Claire.

That was the day I decided I was done trying to keep up with him.

I didn't sleep at all that night.

The next morning, I opened the door and found Ryan waiting outside.

His eyes were red, and his voice was tinged with hurt.

"Wendy, you blocked me.

"I booked you a flight to Maui last night. I know you're afraid of the water, but there are plenty of other things to do there."

I stared at him for a moment, then held up my phone to show him my flight confirmation for Mount Aurora.

Ryan's expression stiffened. He must have remembered our old promise.

After a long pause, he set his jaw. "I'll go with you. Unblock me. I'll meet you at the airport."

Before I could answer, he hurried away.

He had looked so determined that I believed him again.

I unblocked him and waited by the security checkpoint for an hour and a half.

Instead, a new post from Claire appeared on Instagram.

It showed her and Ryan boarding a flight to Maui together.

The last shred of attachment I had to Ryan disappeared in that moment.

I turned and walked through security.

From then on, I would climb my mountains, and he could have his sea.